42. Is It Dangerous?

The message had expired and couldn’t be recalled. Lin Xingzi stared at that spare phone for half an hour, but there was no activity. He rarely checked his phone, and when he was busy, he paid even less attention.

Lin Xingzi remembered that he had said he might not be home tonight when he left in the morning.

Lin Sang and Lin Ke, this brother-sister duo, truly cursed her. Shopping was out of the question; she wasn’t in the mood. After work, she returned to her parents’ house for refuge.

Li Qing and Lin Xudong were both home. Lin Xingzi had been listless ever since she entered, distracted by everything. She showed no intention of leaving, seemingly planning to stay the night.

Li Qing grumbled, but once her back was turned, she happily went to tidy the room.

“Your mom said your uncle is coming over. It’s so late already, is he working overtime again?”

“Uncle is probably still at the company cleaning up my mess.”

Lin Xudong smiled, “Did you cause trouble?”

“I messed up the cooperation with Zhan’s Corporation. All the effort from the past period was wasted. Those people are furious, but they can’t yell at me directly. Uncle...”

“Zhan’s Corporation? How did you get involved in business with the Zhan family?” Lin Xudong reacted strongly, his teacup clattering onto the table. “Lin Xingzi, why didn’t you discuss this with your family!”

Lin Xingzi was startled. She looked at Lin Xudong blankly, the half-eaten apple in her hand falling and rolling across the floor. “Uncle knows. You and Mom don’t understand company matters anyway. Besides, I didn’t succeed, so how could I have the face to come back and show off to you? Dad... why are you angry?”

Lin Xudong doted on his daughter and rarely spoke harshly at home.

Even Li Qing, who was tidying the room, was startled by his shouting.

A hint of unnatural emotion flashed in Lin Xudong’s eyes. He took off his glasses, got up to pick up the half-eaten apple, and explained in a gentler tone, “Dad isn’t angry with you. I was just too surprised. You’ve never liked that Zhan family kid. When you were little and he bullied you, you’d often come home crying to Dad. Why would you think of cooperating with them?”

“...Dislike is dislike, but they are powerful.” Which makes it even more dislikeable.

Lin Xudong washed another apple and peeled it for his daughter. “Jiang Jiang, it’s fine that it didn’t work out. You’re a girl, it’s better to take it easy.”

“Mm,” Lin Xingzi nodded in agreement, feeling that something was strange about Lin Xudong, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

She went to bed late and video-chatted with Lin Sang. Lin Sang sent her photos from her business trip. “Did you fight with Jiang Yan and go back to your parents’ house?”

“Can you wish me well for once?” Lin Xingzi rolled her eyes irritably. “He’s working overtime, so I came home for dinner, and I’m too lazy to go back to his place, so I’ll sleep here tonight and go to work tomorrow.”

Lin Sang was processing photos, the mouse clicks not loud. “You’re living pretty well, huh? Not planning to divorce? Hey, I remember someone swore they’d dump Jiang Yan, regain their single status, and live it up with handsome young men on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and rich diamond guys on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Tsk tsk, it’s only been half a year.”

Lin Xingzi swung her legs lazily, not listening, not listening, the king of all turtles is chanting sutras.

________________________________________

Jiang Yan got out of the taxi already past midnight. There were still some passing vehicles at the intersection, but the neighborhood was very quiet.

Suddenly, someone emerged from the elevator, walking in a hurry, their footsteps faintly echoing in the silent night. Jiang Yan recognized Lin Xudong and was about to speak when Lin Xudong already got into a car. The car headlights swept over, blindingly bright. Jiang Yan turned to avoid them, watching the car’s taillights disappear into the distance, deep in thought.

The Lin family also used a password lock. Li Qing was asleep, so Jiang Yan quietly entered the house.

“Thump-thump—” A soft knock on the door.

Lin Xingzi thought it was her parents getting up at night, seeing the light in her room, and telling her to go to sleep.

“Jiang Jiang, it’s me.”

Lin Xingzi immediately sat up, staring at the door. He, he, he, how did he get here!

The second before the door opened, she quickly pulled the blanket over her head.

Jiang Yan was covered in cold air and waited in the living room to warm up before entering the room.

The computer screen casually placed by the bed was lit. The person on the bed was curled up in a ball under the covers, her long hair spread messily on the pillow, with one foot exposed. She usually kept a lamp on when sleeping alone. The soft light cast a shadow by her feet, and her toes wiggled slightly.

Jiang Yan lowered his head, a silent smile playing on his lips.

“Asleep?”

Lin Xingzi felt the bed sink, but she was determined to pretend to be asleep and didn’t move.

No way. I absolutely will not give you the chance to ask me about that WeChat message from this afternoon.

Jiang Yan sat on the edge of the bed. After warming his hand inside his clothes, he held her foot, which was exposed from under the covers. He caressed the top of her foot up to her ankle, gently pressing.

His palm had a layer of calluses. Lin Xingzi was ticklish and couldn’t last half a minute before throwing off the covers and jumping up.

The room was warm, making her face red and ears hot. There was no hint of sleepiness in her eyes. Meeting the man’s smiling gaze, she quickly turned away, “You, you, you woke me up!”

Jiang Yan didn’t expose her. “Then you go back to sleep. I just came to see you.”

Lin Xingzi glanced at the alarm clock beside her; it was ten minutes to one. She had forgotten the time while chatting with Lin Sang. It was so late already. “...Are you leaving?”

“I have to leave at three.”

The information Zhou Feng got from the informant was that the two-ton drug deal was tomorrow. The delivery location was the dock, but both parties would meet in advance.

“Then you can still sleep for a bit. Go wash up,” Lin Xingzi got out of bed and pushed Jiang Yan into the bathroom.

“Are Mom and Dad home?”

“Yes, they went to bed early.”

Jiang Yan paused his toothbrushing. Lin Xudong had left at dawn without letting her know.

The police operation tomorrow was semi-confidential. It was an order from the supervisory group leaders who reported directly to higher authorities, bypassing Lin Xudong. To avoid alerting the enemy, police forces were not deployed in advance. All personnel involved in the operation received their orders at 8 PM tonight.

Jiang Yan quickly washed up, took off his clothes, and lay down.

After turning off the lights, Lin Xingzi felt even more awake. “Will it be dangerous?”

She was asking Jiang Yan, but then answered herself, “Yes, probably. How could it not be?”

When Jiang Yan was taking off his clothes, Lin Xingzi saw the gun.

Warmth enveloped her from behind. Lin Xingzi turned over and pressed close to him, her heart calming as she listened to his heartbeat. “Lunar New Year is in two days. You have to come back early. This is our first New Year together.”

Last year, Jiang Yan had been transferred before the Lunar New Year.